Folding door



1966 D. s. HARRIS 3,267,990

FOLDING DOOR Filed March 20, 1964 I My 5 II rilw M INVENTOR. 18 DONALD S. HARRIS United States Patent 3,267,990 FOLDING DQOR Donald S. Harris, New Castle, Ind, assignor to New Castic Products, lire, New Castle, Ind, a corporation of Indiana Fiied Mar. 20, 1964, Ser. No. 353,341 Claims. (Cl. 16t3199) The present invention is directed towards a new and improved folding door structure formed from a plurality of hingedly interconnected rigid panels, the panel structure, hinge connections and associated hardware used in the fabrication and operative mounting of the door structure being designed, selected and arranged for improved door fabrication with features providing for efficiency in door structure construction, installation, operation and maintenance.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved foldable door structure formed from a plurality of hingedly interconnected rigid panel sections.

A further object of the invention is to provide a new and improved folding door structure formed from a plurality of substantially rigid, plank-like vertical panel members hingedly interconnected along the adjacent vertical marginal edges for relative movement into folded or contracted condition, the hinge connections incorporating therein a new and improved support hinge feature :which provides for controlled smooth relative movement between the individual panel members during folding and/ or contracting of the door structure.

It is a still further object of the invention to provide a new and improved folding door structure formed from a series of rigid plank-like panel members interconnected by means of a flexible hinge and provided with a support hinge construction adjacent the top and bottom marginal edges of the panel to enhance the smooth operation of the door.

Other objects not specifically set forth will become apparent from the following detailed description made in conjunction with the drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary partly sectioned elevational view of the folding door structure of the present invention illustrating the same operatively mounted in its unfolded or fully extended condition;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary elevational view of the hinge construction adjacent the ends of two of the panels;

FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the hinge section illustrated in FIG. 2; and

FIG. 4 is a cross sectional view taken along the lines 44 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 1 illustrates the folding door structure of the present invention mounted on an overhead trolley track 12 which is adapted to be fastened to the ceiling, door jamb or the like by means of threaded fasteners or the equivalent. The door structure 10 is formed from a plurality of rigid, or at least relatively rigid panel members 13, 14 and 15 with the usual half panel members (not shown) provided at opposite ends if desired, for joining to the jamb and lead posts respectively in a well known manner. The panels 1-3, 14 and 15 are full panels of uniform construction being of a corrugated metal design. Panels 13 and 15 are supported from the trolley track by suitable trolley wheel members 16 and 17 of known type while panel 14 derives its support from the adjacent panels 13 and 15 through the novel hinge arrangement of the present invention.

A flexible hinge strip 18 is formed from plastic, rubber or rubber-like material and joins the adjacent panels 13, 14 and .15 for smooth folding and unfolding movement. As best seen in FIG. 4, the flexible hinge strip 18 includes a central flexible web portion 19 having inice tegrally formed along opposite side margins thereof enlarged ribdike formations 20 and 21. For mounting each hinge strip 18 relative to the adjacent panels, the vertical edge space of each panel is provided with an outwardly opening groove 22 and 23 respectively which extends throughout the entire length or height of each panel. In the embodiment illustrated, the grooves 22 and 23 are formed during extrusion of the corrugated metal panels 13 and 14. It is contemplated that the panels may he formed of any suitable material or shape other than that illustrated, such materials including wood, plastic and combinations of materials.

In the past, where multiple panels formed the door structure, a separate trolley wheel was provided on each panel [for support. The addition of trolley wheels to support each of the panels has an adverse effect in the operation of the door arising from the sideward thrust of the trolley wheels against the side of the trolley track during extension and stacking of the door.

The present invention permits elimination of one of the trolley wheels on alternate panels to improve the smoothness of door operation and also serves as an economy measure in that only approximately half the number of trolley iwheels :would be required in a folding door structure as compared with prior methods. In applications wherein folding door structures are used to divide large rooms, such as hotel ballroorns and the like, cost savings resulting from the elimination of the trolley wheel on alternate panels are worthy of consideration, while the increased ease of door operation enhances the marketability of the design. It is to be appreciated that the trolley wheel could not merely be removed in the prior art design without having an adverse effect on the appearance and operation of the door. The unique support hinge arrangement of the present invention solves the problems heretofore noted and in addition, improves the operating characteristics of the folding door structure.

Referring now to FIGS. 1-3, reference character 24 indicates the new and improved support hinge arrangement which includes a rigid channel-shaped hinge member 24 having flange portions 26 and 27 projecting outwardly from an integral flat web portion 40. The groove 22 in the edge of the panel 13 is interrupted by a transverse slot 28 which extends completely across the groove to the main face of the panel 13. A similar slot 29 is formed transversely of the groove 23. Each of the slots is spaced from the outer end portion of the associated panel a distance slightly less than the inside dimension between the flanges 26 and 27 on the channel-shaped hinge member 25.

As best seen in FIGS. 2 and 3, the flexible hinge strip 18 terminates adjacent the slots 28 and 29. The balance of the groove 22 from the slot 28 to the outer end of the panel receives a spacer or bearing sleeve member 30 with a similar spacer or hearing sleeve member 31 provided in the comparable portion of the groove 23. The sleeves 3t) and 31 are of sufficient axial length to maintain the proper spacing on the flanges 26 and 27 on the channel-shaped hinge member 25 after assembly and also serve as a bearing to permit smooth relative movement between the conjoint panels 13 and 14. In addition, the sleeves 39 and 31 act as a liner for the grooves to prevent withdrawal of the fasteners to be described.

A pair of long fasteners 32 and 33 having threaded end portions are inserted through apertures 34 and 35 in the top flange 26 of the channel-shaped hinge member 25, through the associated sleeves 30 and 31 and suitable apertures provided in the lower flange 27 with the threaded end portion of each ultimately being received in the enlarged marginal formations 20 and 21 respectively on the flexible hinge strip. As seen in FIG. 4, the insertion of the threaded portion of the fastener into the enlarged marginal formations 20 and 21 serves to expand the same into tight gripping engagement with the walls of the groove preventing any longitudinal shifting of the flexible hinge strip.

Referring again to FIG. 1, it can be seen that support hinge arrangements 24 are provided at the top and bottom of each of the adjacent panel members 13, 14 and 15 serving to prevent relative longitudinal movement between the trolley supported panel members and those unsupported by trolleys.

The flanges on each of the channel-shaped hinge members 25 face in alternating directions from panel to panel. Expressed another way, in FIG. 1 the channel-shaped hinge member 25 between the panels 13 and 14 have the flanges projecting away from the viewer and the channel-shaped support hinge members between the panels 14 and 15 have the flanges projecting toward the viewer. This arrangement of hinges positively limits the direction in which the conjoint panels may befolded, thereby insuring that the panel sections will be properly stacked when the door is collapsed. This is accomplished by having the web 48 of the channel-shaped hinge member 25 overlying a portion of each of the adjacent panels. If the panels are folded in the wrong direction, they will engage the marginal edges of the web of the hinge member 25 when the panels are at an acute angle thereby preventing further folding or stacking movement. This feature positively prevents folding of adjacent panels in the wrong direction. As pointed out above, each channelshaped hinge member 25 serves to support and align adjacent panels thereby permitting the trolley wheel to be omitted on alternate panels to enhance the smoothness of door operation.

From an inspection of the exploded perspective view of FIG. 3, it can be appreciated that the hinge construction may be readily assembled with a minimum amount of effort. The enlarged marginal formations 20 and 21 on the flexible hinge strip 18 are pulled into the grooves of adjacent panel members to be joined by a suitable tool and trimmed to terminate at the slots 28 and 29 at each end of the panels.

After the panels have been joined by means of the flexible hinge strip 18, the sleeves 3t and 31 are inserted in the grooves and the channel-shaped hinge 25 inserted with the lower flange 27 projecting into the slots 28 land 29 and the upper flange 2.6 overlyingthe ends of the panels 13 and 14. The threaded fasteners 32 and 33 are inserted and the top hinge arrangement 24 between panels is complete. A similar assembly step is performed at the opposite ends of the panels to complete the lower hinge arrangement which is identical to the upper hinge arrangement.

Although the present invention has been described in connection with a single embodiment, it is obvious that certain modifications and variations may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, any limitations imposed should be within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a door of the type characterized by a plurality of elongated panels adapted to be suspended from an overhead track, said panels being serially connected to each other along their marginal edges for folding and unfolding movement between stacked and extended positions in an opening, each of said marginal edges being provided with an outwardly opening groove, a plurality of flexible hinge strips provided with enlarged marginal formations, which formations of each strip are positioned within the grooves on the marginal edges of adjoining panels to serially connect adjacent panels, the improvement which comprises each of said grooves in said panels being interrupted adjacent the ends thereof to form a slot transversely of said groove, said slot being spaced from an end portion of each of said panels, a rigid hinge means having interconnected spaced portions thereof projecting into each of said slots and over the end portion of each of said panels thereby to provide a support between adjacent panels to prevent relative longitudinal shifting movement therebetween, and pin means holding said projecting portions of said hinge means to each of said panels without impairing the smooth folding movement thereof.

2. The folding door construction of claim 1 wherein said hinge means includes a channel-shaped hinge member having a lower flange positioned in said slots in adjacent panel members and an upper flange overlying the end portion of adjacent panel members, said pin means passing through aligned apertures formed in said upper and lower flanges to join said panels for supported folding movement.

3. The folding door construction of claim 1 wherein said pin means extends through said hinge means into said marginal formations on said flexible hinge strip and opcrates to expand said marginal formations into said gripping engagement With the associated groove.

4. The folding door construction of claim 2 including the provision of sleeve means positioned between said flanges to maintain the flanges properly spaced after insertion of said pin means and provide a bearing for smooth supported folding movement of said panels.

5. In a door of the type characterized by a plurality of vertically elongated panels which are suspended from an overhead track and are serially connected along their vertical edges for fol-ding and unfolding movement between contracted and expanded positions in an opening, the vertical edges of said panels being provided with longitudinal extending grooves, a plurality of flexible hinge strips provided with enlarged marginal formations, which formations of each are positioned within the grooves in the edges of adjacent panels, the provision of a supporting hinge arrangement for joining conjoint panels at the top and bottom ends thereof, each of said support hinge arrangements including, a transverse slot cutting across the groove adjacent an end portion of each of said panels, a channel-shaped hinge member adapted to rigidly join said panels at opposite ends thereof for smooth supported folding movement therebetween, said hinge member having first and second flange portions integral with a central web portion, said central web portion overlying a portion of each of said adjacent panels to permit face-.

to-face stacking of adjacent panels in one direction only, said first flange portion being received in transversely aligned slots on each of said adjacent panel members, said second flange portion on said channel-shaped hinge member projecting over the adjacent end portion of each of said panels, and pin means extending through said flanges into an end port-ion of each of said marginal formations in said groove in the edges of adjacent panels.

6. The folding door structure of claim 5 wherein sleeve means is provided in each of said grooves between said flange portions of said channel-shaped hinge member.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 328,342 10/1885 Robinson -135 X 538,318 4/1895 Brown et a1. 160135 X 2,019,692 11/1935 Mueller. 2,579,910 12/ 1951 Dixon. 2,770,298 11/1956 Hiatt 16()199 2,831,537 4/1958 Ritter 160-229 X 3,148,724 9/1964 Chieger et a1 160-201 X FOREIGN PATENTS 14,276 9/ 1907 Great Britain.

HARRISON R. MOSELEY, Primary Examiner. CHARLES E. OCONNELL, Examiner. D. L. TAYLOR, Assistant Examiner. 

1. IN A DOOR OF THE TYPE CHARACTERIZED BY A PLURALITY OF ELONGATED PANELS ADAPTED TO BE SUSPENDED FROM AN OVERHEAD TRACK, SAID PANELS BEING SERIALLY CONNECTED TO EACH OTHER ALONG THEIR MARGINAL EDGES FOR FOLDING AND UNFOLDING MOVEMENT BETWEEN STACKED AND EXTENDED POSITIONS IN AN OPENING, EACH OF SAID MARGINAL EDGES BEING PROVIDED WITH AN OUTWARDLY OPENING GROOVE, A PLURALITY OF FLEXIBLE HINGE STRIPS PROVIDED WITH ENLARGED MARGINAL FORMATIONS, WHICH FORMATIONS OF EACH STRIP ARE POSITIONED WITHIN THE GROOVES ON THE MARGINAL EDGES OF ADJOINING PANELS TO SERIALLY CONNECTED ADJACENT PANELS, THE IMPROVEMENT WHICH COMPRISES EACH OF SAID GROOVES IN SAID PANELS BEING INTERRUPTED ADJACENT THE ENDS THEREOF TO FORM A SLOT TRANSVERSELY OF SAID GROOVE, SAID SLOT BEING SPACED FROM AN END PORTION OF EACH OF SAID PANELS, A RIGID HINGE MEANS HAVING INTERCONNECTED SPACED PORTIONS THEREOF PROJECTING INTO EACH OF SAID SLOTS AND OVER THE END PORTION OF EACH OF SAID PANELS THEREBY TO PROVIDE A SUPPORT BETWEEN ADJACENT PANELS TO PREVENT RELATIVE LONGITUDINAL SHIFTING MOVEMENT THEREBETWEEN, AND PIN MEANS HOLDING SAID PROJECTING PORTIONS OF SAID HINGE MEANS TO EACH OF SAID PANELS WITHOUT IMPAIRING THE SMOOTH FOLDING MOVEMENT THEREOF. 